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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutesCITY OF OSHKOSH LANDMARKS COMMISSION Minutes January 10, 2018 PRESENT: Shirley Brabender Mattox, Harold Buchholz, Austin Frederick, Paul Arnold, Steve Cummings, Elizabeth Hintz EXCUSED: Jake Krause, Jeremy Galica ABSENT: None STAFF/ OTHERS: Steven Wiley, Jim Hoffman 1. Call to Order Chair Brabender Mattox called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m. and a quorum was declared present. 2. Approval of November 8, 2017 Meeting Minutes The Commission discussed the December 13, 2017 minutes. Mr. Arnold asked about the historic preservation plan mentioned in Item 8 and Mr. Buchholz explained that Planning Director Darryn Burich wanted to speak at the February Landmarks meeting on the preservation plan. The minutes were approved 6-0 as presented. (Buchholz/Hintz) 3. Building Permit Review Mr. Buchholz asked for 1539 W Bent, where the porch was and commissioners clarified that it looked like the porch demolished on the property was on the side elevation. For 531 N Main, Ms. Brabender Mattox asked if the owners knew about historic tax credits and whether they would have qualified. For 438B and 440A N Main, Ms. Brabender Mattox asked how historic tax credits would work for fire damage. Mr. Arnold said that the owner might have insurance and that insurance would cover the damage if that was the case. Ms. Brabender Mattox brought up the discussion on demolition started at the December meeting. She had spoken with Community Development Director Allen Davis and had talked about the potential for having a waiting period. Ms. Hintz asked if the owner just came in and pulled a permit and Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that yes, the owner obtained a permit on a Thursday and demolished the home the following Tuesday. Ms. Hintz asked if salvage had been done and Mr. Arnold said he doubted salvage would have occurred. Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that an option would have been to move the home and save it from demolition. An additional option would be to install a small plaque in the garden to commemorate the home. Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that Mr. Davis was planning to come to the next Landmarks meeting and that permitting would be on the agenda. Mr. Wiley explained that Mr. Davis, Mr. Burich, and he had discussed Madison’s ordinance and the protections it affords against demolition in historic districts. Mr. Buchholz stated that Mr. Burich had informed him that the research the city did on the 1106 Washington property told them that the property was noncontributing. The commission looked at the nomination for the Washington Avenue Historic District and found that the property was listed there as contributing. Mr. Buchholz stated that he was willing to contact the state to have them update their records. Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that the letter informing the state of the demolition should go through the city. 4. Mike Lyster Home Landmarking - Discussion Mr. Frederick explained the research he had done on Mr. Lyster’s property and Ms. Hintz asked if the porch on the property was original. Mr. Cummings asked if the roof above the porch could have been altered. Mr. Arnold stated that it was possible the roof could have been altered but that the roof would have been early enough that whoever did the work ensured that the roof matched the h ome very effectively. No lines or gaps appeared anywhere to suggest that the roof was a much later alteration. Mr. Arnold explained that the porch would likely have been in place from at least 1903 from the footprints shown on the Sanborn map. Ms. Hintz asked what the purpose of the bumpout on the south elevation was and Mr. Arnold and Mr. Cummings both said that it could serve as a staircase. Mr. Frederick explained some of the history of the home’s previous ownership and the information he found on the Winnebago County Chain of Title Index. Mr. Buchholz explained that the Commission needed some time to digest the research Mr. Frederick did and Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that Mr. Lyster’s Home Landmarking should be included on the Landmarks agenda for February. 5. Lakeshore Municipal Golf Course – Further Discussion / Potential Reuse or Commemorative Use of Donated Trees on Future Oshkosh Corporation Land – Discussion / Action Mr. Cummings explained that he wanted this item on the agenda in response to Mr. Norenberg attending a previous Landmarks meeting regarding the Lakeshore Golf Course. Mr. Cummings did not want to forget about the earlier discussion on the golf course. He stated that some of the trees on the 35 acres of future Oshkosh Corporation land might have been donated and he wanted to consider what could be done with the trees. He stated that perhaps they could be moved or that Oshkosh Corporation could plant new trees elsewhere. He stated that Oshkosh Corporation has to be sensitive to what is on the property. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked if perhaps the wood could be used for city projects. She stated that maybe Landmarks would do a plaque elsewhere on the property. Ms. Brabender Mattox and Mr. Cummings instructed Mr. Wiley to keep this item on the Landmarks agenda. 6. 2018 Acanthus Awards - Discussion Ms. Brabender Mattox asked the Commission if they had any ideas for potential nominees for Acanthus Awards in 2018. Mr. Arnold stated that he knew the Washington Building was deferred to this year. Mr. Buchholz stated that the property on the corner of Vine and Algoma next to his was undergoing restoration but that the owner was more focused on the community. The award was not of essence to the owner and the owner did not want it. Mr. Cummings mentioned the Veterans Memorial at Oshkosh West High School and that this wall captures all the students who served. Mr. Cummings spoke at the ceremony for the wall and thought that it was worthy to look at. Mr. Frederick asked if the security center at the courthouse could be a potential nominee. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked if the Commission would nominate it as sympathetic to the original structure. Mr. Frederick said he thought so. Mr. Buchholz asked if the Commission could get the self-nomination form for Acanthus Awards on the Facebook page. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked Mr. Wiley if he handled the Facebook page and Mr. Wiley replied yes. She also mentioned the possibility of posting the form in the Herald and Oshkosh Independent. Ms. Brabender Mattox mentioned a home on High Avenue as a potential candidate and Mr. Arnold stated that he thought the owner had stalled out on the work. The Commission instructed Mr. Wiley to include Acanthus on the agenda for February. 7. 2017 – 2018 Goals / Priorities - Discussion Mr. Buchholz explained that he had created a form that would allow commissioners to number the initiatives they saw as the most important priorities for the Landmarks Commission. He suggested that each commissioner number his or her top three items. Mr. Buchholz stated that he would personally consider the Commission’s ongoing tasks as number 1, the Historic Preservation plan as number 2, and local landmarking number 3. He raised the possibility of spreading out the workload of ongoing items between commissioners. He stated that in the opinion of some city staff, the Commission was not focused enough. He said that Mr. Burich wanted to see an historic preservation plan and that would give the Commission more credibility in the eyes of the administration and Council. Mr. Arnold concurred with Mr. Buchholz on ranking of items and for the same reasons. Mr. Cummings explained his rankings and said that much opposition for historic districts comes from landlords of rental properties. Mr. Frederick went down his list of rankings. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked if the Commission could consider ongoing items as separate and not list them as number 1 in rankings. Mr. Cummings asked if the Commission could work with the school district or an intern on research or tedious tasks. Mr. Arnold stated that it would be difficult to work with them. Mr. Frederick raised the idea of reaching out to people on Facebook on items the Commission would need help on. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked if Mr. Buchholz was comfortable with the input provided to him by other commissioners. Mr. Buchholz stated that he was and that the input would help him going forward. 8. 2016 – 2017 Annual Report - Discussion Mr. Wiley explained that he was working on the Annual Report based on input from Ms. Brabender Mattox and Mr. Buchholz. Commissioners looked at the report and provided input for Mr. Wiley on the various pages. Mr. Wiley stated that he would incorporate the input into the report and submit it to the state. 10. Commissioner Statements a. Historic Fish District – Steve Cummings / Austin Frederick No updates occurred on this item. b. Mark Buechel: Seminar on State Tax Credits – Steve Cummings No updates occurred on this item. Mr. Cummings stated that the Commission needed to pick a time to have Mr. Buechel come up. c. Wisconsin Historical Society: National Register Nomination (Eagles Club and Waite Grass Carpet Co.) – Shirley Brabender Mattox / Harold Buchholz Ms. Brabender Mattox showed carpet from the grass company and explained that she and Mr. Buchholz went to original presentations also for the two nominations. Mr. Buchholz explained that Oshkosh was the only community that had letters from state legislators and Landmarks Commission representation at the hearings. d. WHS Convention: La Crosse Update – Shirley Brabender Mattox / Austin Frederick Mr. Frederick stated that he went to presentations on archival preservation. Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that she attended sessions on the 106 form and on burial sites. e. 20th Century Club Feb. 10th, 2018 Presentation: Neo-Classical Historic District – Steven Wiley Mr. Wiley informed the Commission that he was asked to give a presentation on Saturday, February 10th, at 2 pm on the history and buildings of the Washington Avenue Neo-Classical District. Mr. Wiley stated that he would confirm the time with the Commission. f. 1703 Michigan Street Historic Plaque – Steven Wiley Mr. Wiley explained that he had received the plaque for the residence at 1703 Michigan Street and that he was scheduled to present it to the owners at their home on Thursday, January 18th, 2018 at 5 pm. Mr. Arnold explained that he had done the research for the plaque and Mr. Wiley stated that he had found some copies of William Waters blueprints of the home at the museum. 13. Agenda Items for Next Meeting Ongoing items such as the Demolition ordinance discussion with Mr. Davis, Millers Bay research that Mr. Hoffman had worked on, Lakeshore discussions, Acanthus discussions, and Historic Preservation ordinance discussions with Mr. Burich. 14. Adjournment Mr. Arnold left at 5:07 and Mr. Frederick left at 5:11. Meeting adjourned at 5:13 pm (Cummings/Hintz) Respectively submitted, Steven Wiley Assistant Planner